Enough already!

[Phil Davis]

Wow! Rough day, huh?  ;o)

Personally, I think a little respect and decency go a long way. It's a great
feeling (and can be a strong motivator for improved performance) when it
comes your way, right? So why not give it to others, especially when their
actions have in some measure created an opportunity for it?

I also think doing this is partly a cultural expression of this list. For
better or worse, a well-established habit can be a hard thing to change.

I think of it as oil for the mechanics of list communication.

That's all - I'm done. No [further] comebacks, no fights. Done.
Phil Davis


> -----Original Message-----
> From: use-revolution-bounces at lists.runrev.com
> [mailto:use-revolution-bounces at lists.runrev.com]On Behalf Of Dr.John
> R.Vokey
> Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2004 8:38 PM
> To: use-revolution at lists.runrev.com
> Subject: Enough already!
>
>
> All,
>    Sheesh! I have read too much fluff and politeness: it's like the
> whole RR list has become Canadian, eh.
>
> A. Let us all agree that:
>
> 1) the runrev team members are great, sweet, wonderful people to a
> fault.
> 2) runrev is great, sweet, wonderful, <all positive adjectives>, ...
>
> B. But that, the RR IDE (and some aspects of the engine) are deplorably
> buggy.
>
> So,
> 1) voice all bug complaints *without launching yet again into how ``the
> runrev team members are great, sweet, wonderful people to a fault'',
> and are all working hard, fingers to the bone, nose to the grind stone,
> etc.*  Let's just take that as given.
>
> 2) *don't apologise for the lousy documentation, inconsistent
> functioning, damnably stupid decisions (as you see it) by the RR team.
> After all, if *you* can't find it/understand it/use it correctly *it is
> not your fault*.  By definition, it is theirs.  It is their *job* to
> make it clear, straightforward, and simple.  (Imagine trying to make
> your career as a writer and always blaming the reader for ``failing to
> understand, not using the index or the appendix you oh so thoughtfully
> provided''.  Exactly.)
>
> 3) But they won't know to fix it if you don't engage in B.1.---whether
> by bugzilla, or by simply writing a letter.  *Don't* for a moment
> believe that you have to use bugzilla, or even email.  Believe (because
> of A.1.) that they will and do listen to every complaint.  Of course
> they do; they are not stupid (and, of course, ``are great, sweet,
> wonderful people to a fault.'').
>
> 4) But, by B.2., quit mealy-mouthing your responses: you have a right
> (and, if you care about the product, duty) to bitch, moan, complain,
> perseverate, and otherwise rain on RR and the team *without apology*.
> As for those (you know who you are) who inevitably and boringly jump to
> RR's defence at every seeming opportunity: give it up.  It is silly,
> unnecessary, and, importantly, insulting and often unfairly
> intimidating to the poor user who is just flummoxed by the many
> (entirely expected and predictable) failings of RR.  Remember, not all
> of us are Windoze users who expect and routinely receive much worse
> than RR has ever delivered.  My favourite: ``The only time Microsoft
> will deliver a product that doesn't suck, is when they sell vacuum
> cleaners''.)
>
> 5) I, of course, as a Canadian, did not mean to denigrate in any way
> the runrev team members who are all great, sweet, wonderful people to a
> fault.  ;-)  But, you need to claim my nationality to get away with
> such transparent piety.
>
> 6) Enough.  Really.  Stop it.
>
> --
> John R. Vokey, PhD
> Professor
> B.E.R.G. - Behaviour and Evolution Research Group
> Micro-Cognition Laboratory
> Department of Psychology & Neuroscience
> University of Lethbridge
> Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4
> CANADA
>
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